materials handling
- noun
- /məˈtɪəriəlz ˈhændlɪŋ/
- Specialized
- Robots and materials-handling technologies can greatly improve the movement and placement of materials and components in manufacturing systems.
- automated materials handling
- material handling systems
- materials handling robots
Examples
-
One such machine is the HelpMate robot, which is used for materials-handling jobs in hospitals.
Academic text (1995) -
Please consider the advantages of working with a professional if you are charged with material handling duties.
Blog text (26) -
Materials handling was another area of expertise that the mechanical engineer brought to highway construction.
Academic text (2005) -
The process increased the amount of material handling required and lengthened the composting time by more than two months.
Academic text (2001) -
Automatic guided vehicles play an important role in automating materials-handling requirements.
Academic text (2012) -
Plant operators improved the materials handling process of the McNeil gasifier, raising the unit's capacity to 350 dry tons per day.
Academic text (2001) -
To remedy this situation, Willamette assisted a half dozen processors in upgrading their grinding and screening equipment and materials handling capacity.
Academic text (1995) -
The warehouse uses automated systems for efficient materials handling, speeding up the loading and unloading process.
-
Proper materials handling is crucial to ensure that goods are stored safely and can be retrieved easily when needed.
-
Many companies invest in technology to enhance materials handling processes, reducing manual labor and minimizing errors.
Synonyms
Moving things by hand or with tools to keep them safe
How Automated
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: it denotes the handling (moving, loading, storing) of materials, which follows naturally from the words 'materials' and 'handling'. This is a transparent, technical noun phrase whose logic is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will grasp the general meaning even if they lack domain-specific details.
Etymology
The noun materials handling comes from the simple image of people or machines handling materials by moving, lifting and storing them in a factory or warehouse. That's why today it refers to the whole 'process' and the equipment used to move goods.